Into Hostile Territory

The group resolved to travel north, and bring the battle to the orcs on their own turf. The small patch of map that was found in the manticore's lair was translated, and the sites marked on it referenced various clans of orcs, six in all. The southernmost site was marked "Clan Lightning Thrust", and the party set out through the Orc Forest to take the most direct route there.

The party encountered a pack of Owlbears in the forest, and while Aurora was severely mauled by one of the hungry beasts, the battle carried little other consequence. Sylinnea noticed during the forest trek that a black bear had begun to follow the party, remaining at a safe distance. The two would grow to know one another as companions, as time went on.

When the party emerged from the forest on the north side, that they encountered a frightening sight. A pair of enormous humanoids - hill giants - were throwing massive boulders at one another. The adventurers were not noticed, and paused to formulate a plan of attack. As they watched however, the further giant missed his catch, and took the hurled boulder in the face. He fell to the ground in a sitting position, and the adventurers were much surprised at the tears and wailing that issued from his injured form! The other giant quickly joined in the crying, and it became clear that while these giants were massive, they were clearly juvenile.

Aurora's sense of pity overcame her sense of caution, and she emerged from the woods, followed by Mira and Oscar. Sylinnea remained in the trees in case the parlay failed. The giants were caught totally off guard by the adventurer's approach, and were visibly frightened. Aurora managed to calm them down, and eventually the group learned that the giants father was captured by the nearby orcs while he slept, and that the "boys" had been on their own for three days. The father's name was Thrag, and the adventurers hoped that he could help against the orcs if he could be freed.

The adventurers pressed on towards the Lightning Thrust base - and found a massive rocky mound rising out of the plain. There were also newly constructed wooded walls and towers guarding one side, and the group surmised that there was a cave entrance on that side. The group used several distracting tactics such as sniping and setting the wooden walls aflame, but eventually the orcs would no longer come out, so the group settled for a frontal charge. The interior of the fortress featured several small buildings, but the main structure was an enormous wooden and metal cage-dome, with Thrag the hill giant chained within. Naturally, the orcs responded to the incursion, defending using the horde tactics that Sylinnea predicted. However, like the orcs that attacked Kelish, these were much better armed and armoured than they were traditionally thought to be. Finally, the chieftain of the clan emerged, his trident crackling with the power of thunder. After a fierce battle, the chieftain was slain, and his warriors scattered.

The hill giant was freed, and tension was abated when Mira informed him that his children were hiding in the forests to the south. He bounded off, surly yet grateful.

And yet, after the adventurers recovered, it became clear that victory does not hold easy choices either. The female and juveniles of the Lightning Thrust clan were still holed up in their caves, and the party discussed what should be done with them. Mercifully, the party decided to give them their freedom as well, and the eldest female orc was able to give a spotty account of "cowled men" visiting their settlement before the changes to their clan took place. Little else was available, for it became apparent very quickly that it was the males and chiefs that were in control here. The caves also contained another enigma - the traditional orc altars to their god Gruumsh One-Eye, were torn down. Puzzled still, the adventurers once again made for the forests, and continued on their way to the northeast.

Kelish Attacked!

The adventurers awoke the next morning to sounds of trouble. A swift check out the window revealed that an army of well-armed and armoured orcs had begun to swarm the town, and were chasing several villiagers down the street! The townspeople were not caught completely unawares, as the mayor and several guards had formed a defensive line in the street. The adventurers quickly prepared for battle, and joined the guards in the defense of the town. While Sylinnea remained in the upper floor of the in with her bow, the others moved down to the street to join guards.

Some of the fleeing townsfolk were saved, but most were trampled and killed in the orcs' charge. The archers let fly their arrows, and the raging orcs faltered, but they were too many, and soon they were on the guards at the line, and a vicious melee erupted. The adventurers held fast, however, but were hard pressed by some of the orc's elite soldiers. Thankfully, Keith appeared in a window across from Sylinnea, arrows blazing, and eventually the orcs were killed to the last.

Just as the shouts of victory and sighs of relief went up, one of the buildings at the far end of the street collapsed as a massive boulder smashed into it - the orcs had brought up massive catapults. Despite being exhausted from the orcs' initial assault, the adventurers sallied forth the town, and attacked the orcs' siege engines. A number of orcs met the adventurers in battle, but they were of no moment, as the adventurers slew them quickly and took pause to wonder about the identity of the dark robed figure standing at the catapults. However the battle was soon joined by the terrible war leader, clad in full metal and wielding a massive battle hammer. The heroes were hard pressed. Oskar's armour could only hold up so long, and the magics of Mira and Aurora were spent. One by one the adventurers fell to his vicious attacks, until finally the war leader was brought down by one of Sylinnea's arrows. The robed figure had slipped away during the fighting, and thus Sylinnea was able to gather help for her comrades - who were all badly injured, but alive nonetheless. Supplies were found in the orcs' camp, including an ancient suit of dwarven armour that Oskar claimed - and a group of prisoners the orcs had claimed from the surrounding farms.

This attack left the group with many unanswered questions. Who was organizing the orcs? What was the connection with the "demon bug"? And most importantly... what could be done about it?

The Village of Kelish

Kelish is the most western extension of the Tellanian kingdom, and is unfortunately ignored as a result. The townsfolk subsist on fishing and farming, and are barely able to produce more than they need. They suffer on occasion from raids from the savage orc tribes to the north, and therefore welcome any help that comes their way.

When the adventurers arrived, they caught wind of rumors that one of the local farmers had not arrived to deliver his grain at his appointed time, and a fear that something unfortunate had happened was spreading around town. The group resolved to travel to the farmstead in question and investigate - and indeed they found that the farm had been attacked. Valuables were missing, and orc tracks were everywhere. However no corpses were discovered, so hope grew that the farmer and his family were captured and not killed. Sylinnea tracked the orc raiders to the north.

After a minor skirmish with what turned out to be an unrelated orc patrol, the party discovered a small hillock that the orcs were camping under. The adventurers were seen as they approached, and the orcs on the top of the hill shouted for reinforcements. Many orc warriors boiled out of the cave, but the stalwart adventurers met their charge head on, and slew them. They ventured inside a small cave they had discovered, and battled with the orc group's warboss, slaying him and his bodyguards. However, the orcs had inflicted greivous wounds on the party, and with their magics exhausted they chose to camp on the top of the hillock and venture back into the orcs' cave the next morning. Night passed without incident.

The party ventured back into the cave to ensure that no enemies remained. There living orcs present, and at a small shrine they found the bodies of the farmer and his family. Aurora was not completely certain, but based on her knowledge of healing she discovered that the captives had finally succumbed to their wounds sometime in the previous night. Naturally, she was quite upset at this discovery, having wasted the one chance they had to save the captives.

The adventurers travelled back to Kelish, and gave report of their discovery. Their next plan was to track the wagon that had deposited the "demon bug" at Grainger's Ravine, but on their way to leaving town were confronted by a well-to-do individual riding hard with two horses. He identified himself as a member of the army, and relayed his story that the royal tax collector had been carried off to the northeast by a great winged creature not more than two miles away. The party exchanged small murmurs of muted contentment at this news, until the soldier demanded that something be done. He declared that he was in no condition to fight, and charged the party with the task of rescuing the tax collector (or at least returning with his collections).

The group travelled east on the road until sign of the disturbance was discovered. They obviously had no way of tracking a creature through the air, but after a short jaunt to the northeast a rocky crag was spotted, and named as the only thing in the area worth investigating.

The adventurers clambered up the rocks, some having an easier time than others. Mira heard a growling noise, and alerted the others to the vicious manticore that had appeared above them!The fight became a shooting match between Sylinnea's arrows and the beast's terrible tail-spikes. After giving and receiving awful wounds, the beast flew off, and the party managed to climb higher on the crag, discovering a hollow where the manticore made it's lair. Therein were the half-eaten remains of the tax collector, his money, and several orc skeletons. A crude map of the area with an unknown language was discovered on one of the skeletons. The elves sharp ears revealed perked up at hearing approaching wingbeats - the beast was on its way back. Sylinnea took one final shot, and caught the beast in the forehead, dropping it out of the sky. The party travelled back to Kelish, victorious.